Differential for the final drive of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a differential for the axle drive of a motor vehicle, having a differential case ( 4 ) which carries a driving wheel ( 2 ), is disposed in a transmission case and in which an axle bolt ( 10 ) is disposed which carries differential gears ( 12, 14 ), the differential gears ( 12, 14 ) meshing which axle shaft gears ( 16, 18 ) arranged on axle drive shafts and these gears being constructed as bevel gears. It is suggested that a first joint flange ( 20 ) carrying a first axle shaft gear ( 16 ) is connected by way of a connecting rod ( 24 ) with a second joint flange ( 22 ) carrying a second axle shaft gear ( 18 ), the connecting rod ( 24 ) being guided through an opening ( 26 ) arranged in the axle bolt ( 10 ). By means of the connecting rod ( 24 ), the two joint flanges ( 20, 22 ) are connected with one another in the radial direction, so that their bearing is improved.

[0001] The invention relates to a differential for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of Claim 1.

[0002] From German Patent Document DE 43 13 322 A1, it is, for example, known to dispose the axle shaft bevel gears in a cage so that the forces acting in the direction of the axle drive shafts can be absorbed. As a result, the differential case can be relieved from these forces and can therefore have a correspondingly smaller dimension.

[0003] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved differential for the axle drive of a motor vehicle which, despite its light-weight construction, is distinguished by a quiet and low-wear operation.

[0004] This object is achieved by means of the characteristics of Claim 1. By way of the connecting rod, the axial flux of force generated by the axle shaft bevel gears is absorbed or closed. A differential cage is therefore no longer required. By means of the connecting rod, the joint flanges are also connected in the radial direction, so that the connected, more precise bearing guidance results in a quiet operation of the axle differential.

[0005] Advantageous developments and further developments of the invention are indicated in the subclaims.

[0006] In a first advantageous embodiment, the connecting rod is connected in one piece with a first joint flange. As a result of the fact that the second joint flange is guided on the connecting rod by way of radial bearings, a possible tilting movement of the two joint flanges is further reduced. This measure also contributes to the noise reduction and to a wear-free operation of the axle differential.

[0007] An axial bearing arranged at the end of the second joint flange supports a low-friction and low-noise relative movement between the joint flange and the connecting rod during the cornering of the motor vehicle.

[0008] In a second advantageous embodiment, both joint flanges are provided with a cylindrical opening through which the connecting rod is guided, a securing element being in each case arranged at the end of the joint flanges on the connecting rod, for absorbing the axial force generated because of the conical gearing.

[0009] In the following, the invention will be explained as an example by means of a schematic drawing.

[0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic overall representation of an axle differential in a first embodiment;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a view of an axle bolt;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view along Line III-III in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a view of the axial flow of force of the axle shaft bevel gears; and

[0014]FIG. 5 is a view of an axle differential in a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0015] A differential for the axle drive of a motor vehicle has a driving wheel which is constructed as a ring gear 2 and carries a differential case 4. The differential case 4 as well as a pinion (not shown) driving the ring gear 2 are disposed in a transmission case (not shown) (see bearings 6 and 8).

[0016] An axle bolt 10, on which two differential bevel gears 12 and 14 are rotatably disposed, is arranged in the differential case. The two differential bevel gears 12, 14 mesh with two axle shaft bevel gears 16 and 18. The axle shaft bevel gears 16, 18, in turn, are each non-rotatably connected with a joint flange 20 and 22, to which axle drive shafts are fastened which are not shown and which are connected with the vehicle wheels.

[0017] The joint flange 20, in the following, called “first joint flange”, has, in its axial extension, a connecting rod 24 which extends through an opening 26 arranged in the axle bolt 10 and a cylindrical opening 28 arranged in the joint flange 22, in the following called “second joint flange”. The connecting rod receiving the second joint flange 22 is provided at its end with an axial securing element 30, which is constructed as a nut, a snap ring, a split pin or a similar device. The second joint flange 22 is rotatably disposed on the connecting rod 24 by means of two radial bearings 32 and 34, which are constructed as slide bearings or roller bearings, as well as by means of an axial bearing 36. The axial bearing 36 arranged at the end of the second joint flange 22 and also constructed as a slide bearing or roller bearing is axially supported by a butting disk 38 adapted to the diameter of the axial bearing 36. The butting disk 38, in turn, is axially supported by the securing element 30. The end of the connecting rod 24 provided with the axial bearing 36 is, in addition, sealed off by a protective cap 40.

[0018] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the flow of axial force 42 generated on the basis of the conical gearing of the differential gears 12, 14 with the axle shaft gears 16 and 18 is closed by means of the connecting rod 24, so that an additional axial supporting of the axle shaft bevel gears 16, 18 is not required. As a result of the fact that the two joint flanges 20, 22 are mutually connected by way of the connecting rod 24, their radial bearing is improved. Possible tilting motions of the joint flanges 20, 22 are prevented by the two radial bearings 32, 34 provided in the cylindrical opening 28 of the second joint flange 22.

[0019] The second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 differs from the first embodiment in that the two joint flanges 20′ and 22′ have the same construction and are each provided with a cylindrical opening 28′ through which a separately constructed connecting rod 24′ is guided. The two joint flanges 20′ and 22′ are, in turn, rotatably disposed on the connecting rod 24′ by way of two radial bearings 32′ and 34′ respectively as well as by axial bearings 36′ in each case arranged at the end of the two joint flanges 20′ and 22′. The two axial bearings 36′ are, in turn, axially supported by one butting disk 38′ respectively, the two butting disks 38′ being axially supported by way of the securing element 30′. Also by means of this second embodiment of an axle differential, the advantageous effects are achieved which were described with respect to the first embodiment. 

1. Differential for the axle drive of a motor vehicle, having a differential case which carries a driving wheel, is disposed in a transmission case and in which an axle bolt is disposed which carries differential gears, the differential gears meshing which axle shaft gears arranged on axle drive shafts and these gears being constructed as bevel gears, characterized in that a first joint flange (20) carrying a first axle shaft gear (16) is connected by way of a connecting rod (24) with a second joint flange (22) carrying a second axle shaft gear (18), the connecting rod (24) being guided through an opening (26) arranged in the axle bolt (10).
 2. Differential according to claim 1, characterized in that one end of the connecting rod (24) is guided through the second joint flange (22) provided with a cylindrical opening (28) and is axially secured.
 3. Differential according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second joint flange (22) is rotatably disposed on the connecting rod (24) by way of radial bearings (32, 34).
 4. Differential according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an axial bearing (36) is arranged between the end of the second joint flange (22) and a disk (38) axially secured at the end of the connecting rod (24).
 5. Differential according to claim 1, characterized in that both joint flanges (20, 22) have a cylindrical opening (28′) through which the connecting rod (24′) extends, for absorbing the axial forces generated by the axle shaft gears (16, 18), a securing element (30′) being in each case arranged at the end of the joint flanges (20′, 22′) on the connecting rod (24′). 